Here for Us Always
by KenshinHatake
Summary: *PROTOTYPE* With the loss of one Nara, the leaf gains three more. (I like this short story concept, so if YOU guys like it too, REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW. I'm totally not against actually going into detail, and making this multi-chaptered! so AGAIN if you guys like it, and like the idea, LET ME KNOW!) Thanks for reading! DISCLAIMER - I DO NOT OWN NARUTO though I wish I did.


As he laid there, chakra completely depleted, Shikamaru began to say his goodbyes inside his head, fearing his words will fail him. 'Guess I'll be seeing you soon old man, tch, what a drag. Oh well. Naruto, give'em hell.'

Ino stood next to her dying comrade, screaming for anyone to save Shikamaru. The Nara was not sure what she was saying, but he could make out the hurt and fear in her voice. 'Heh, even in death I can't have peace. All this yelling has to be bad. Man.' He could not open his eyes, but he felt his best friend, Choji, land next to him.

Shikamaru had accepted his fate, death was inevitable. He had to admit, he could not complain about the circumstances. His closest friends stood next to him as he died in battle, he would be crowned a hero post-mortem back in the Leaf, hell, maybe even in all the villages. The only thing missing from his perfect black serenity was a loud mouth kunoichi, HIS loud mouth.

As his last breath began to leave his body, Shikamaru felt a soft wind brush over him. 'Heh, troublesome. Kami, you have a sick sense of humor.' With his final thought Shikamaru apologized, 'what a drag, my only regret is not telling you I love you.'

As she sprinted through the troops, Temari frantically searched for any sign of Shikamaru. When she finally spotted Ino, she knew something was wrong. The blue eyes of the young Yamanaka were filled with tears, and next to her knelt the large body of Choji, Shikamaru's best friend. 'No. No anyone but him. He can't' she thought as she tossed her tessen to the ground and plopped hard onto her knees next to the now lifeless body of her Shikamaru.

"Shika! Shika, you bastard!" Temari shouted ferociously. "If you die now…", the words falling out of her trembling lips filled with sadness and fear. "You can't die, not now! I love you, you dumb bastard! You lazy good-for-nothing bastard! I love you, okay? Please, don't go." The pleading in her voice shattered Ino and Choji's hearts.

Ino was the only one capable of doing anything, merely managing to meekly place her hand on the Suna-nin's shoulder. The tears falling from Temari's emerald eyes landing directly on the lips of her fallen lover.

-Four Years Later-

"Mommy, do we have to go?" pleaded a young, dirty blonde haired boy. He looked up at his mother with his dulled emerald eyes. "Yes." She stated with a harsh tone, "now go find your sister."

"Fine, but the stupid rock never talks back." the little boy bit back with a frown. His beautiful mother smiled her loving smile and said back, "he doesn't have to, now go!" And with that, the boy huffed and stomped off towards a large tree, whose shadow covered a small, dark haired girl.

The boy came running up to where his twin sister was napping, shouting for her. "Shikari! Shikari! Mommy's ready to go! Let's gooo lazy!"

Shikari, with her midnight black hair pulled back into four rambunctious pig tails, sighed and stood from her favorite napping spot. The spot itself had been worn of grass, as she knew someone in particular used the same spot. "Troublesome. I'm coming Temaku."

Their mother, hands on her hips, shook her head as she thought 'no denying the father is.' She thought with a sad smile.

On the way to the new Konohagakure memorial, the trio ran into two familiar faces in Sakura and Kiba discussing new plans given to them by the new Hokage. "Oi, Temari! How are ya?" enquired an overly enthusiastic Kiba. "Down mutt." Sakura growled at him as she slapped the back of Kiba's head. The twin's giggled as Temari showed a smile.

"I'm doing fine, so are the kids. We're on our way to visit him." Temari told the duo. Sakura now gave an understanding smile, while Kiba looked puzzled. "It's been nearly five years, shouldn't you be dating and what not?" asked Kiba, completely oblivious to the life threatening glare from Sakura.

Temari looked down at her left hand, where a Nara heirloom was wrapped around her ring finger. "Dating's not my thing, besides I'm a Nara."

Sakura saw the glance, and her glare swiftly transitioned into a face of caring, nodding at the dirty blonde. "Tell him I said hi, would'ya? Me and this dog have some business to finish for Naruto, really he's an incompetent Hokage. Can't take away from his leadership though. How bout we go out tonight for some drinks? I know there are more than a few willing babysitters." Sakura looked at the twins and noticed Shikari's hands behind her head accompanied by the Nara slouch, as Temaku glared that fierce glare at his sister.

"They look a lot like him." "They do, don't they? Don't worry, I always tell him you guys say hey," Temari began to walk, holding onto her twins hands, "Oh and those drinks sound nice. Invite the rest will you?" Sakura lit up, before bluttering out overenthusiastically, "Oh of course! See ya later Temari!"

Temari, as she did twice a week, kneeled down in front of the large memorial, after setting the twins off to play. "Hey, you lazy bastard. I'm back again. I brought the little ones, heh still can't believe you got me to sleep with you in the middle of a war."

Temari broke off her onesided conversation momentarily to look down with a rosy blush. "Smooth bastard. You knew, didn't you? Of course you did, you're a know it all. I bet you planned it. I mean, you had a whole plan for us after the war. I love the ring just so you know. Yoshino told me you were worried I wouldn't accept, HA. She hasn't cried in a while, I think the twins help her with coping. Oh Sakura says hi, actually, everyone says hi. They all love and miss you pineapple head."

Temari paused once more, as her beautiful eyes over flowed with tears. "I love you. I miss you so much. I wish…I need you here asshole! I know you can hear me, just give me a sign. Anything to show you love me, that you miss me too"

As Temari began to cry (though her face remained stern), a large cloud, in an otherwise empty sky, covered the memorial area in shadow. "Kami, you have a sick sense of humor." Temari let out as she laughed amidst her tears.

The beautiful kunoichi stood and brushed her fingers across one name, Nara Shikamaru. "Mommy, why're you crying? Did the rock say something mean?" asked Temaku, glaring at the memorial. "They're happy tears, dear," she began as Shikari perked up, curious to what caused such a reaction from her mother. "He told me he's here, for me and you two. Let's go visit Grandma Yoshino, maybe she'll babysit you kids tonight."


End file.
